


Tempting Offer

by Fairfaxleasee



Series: Solas/Ayala [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Apologies, Autism Spectrum, Bickering, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Mage Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Misunderstandings, Temptation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:00:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29928273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fairfaxleasee/pseuds/Fairfaxleasee
Summary: When Ayala Trevelyan's plans for an afternoon alone are interrupted, she's particularly miffed given the person doing the interrupting isn't one of her favorite people.  At least until Solas makes her an offer she has no intention of refusing.
Relationships: Fen’Harel | Solas/Female Inquisitor, Solas/Female Trevelyan (Dragon Age)
Series: Solas/Ayala [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2201004
Kudos: 8





	Tempting Offer

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr at fairfaxleasee.tumblr.com (asks and prompts open)
> 
> Thanks to @blondetexan and @bevosgirl for betaing!

With a flick of her fingers, Ayala Tevelyan sent the tiny ball of ice she’d conjured rolling down the hill she was sitting on. The movement was unnecessary - she was perfectly capable of setting the ball in motion using her magic alone - but something about flicking the thing to send it tumbling down the snowy embankment, picking up mass and winding its way along to the bottom, was satisfying. Judging by the small pile of snowballs at the bottom hill that had started out as similar ice balls, she’d been doing the same thing for a decent while, but she was having fun and it wasn’t like there was really anything else worth doing. Everyone else in Haven was at some sort of party or other and she  _ hated _ those things (even when she was supposed to be the guest of honor). Besides, she was still trying to figure out the rules of whatever game this was. Right now it was more like shuffleboard on an incline, but she was considering whether using magic to make it more like curling on an incline would be more fun.

“So this is where you wandered off to, da’len.”

Ayala’s focus faltered and rather than sending an ice ball rolling down the hill, she flung a small icicle away from her (gravity would take care of getting it to the bottom of the hill in the end). She bristled before realizing it wasn’t worth the effort and pulled her knees closer to her on the shield she was sitting on, “You know I know what that word means, right?” She didn’t bother looking towards who was speaking, there were a lot of people who would, and did, call her ‘child,’ but she only knew one person who did it in Elvhen. And just because there were a lot of people who did, it didn’t mean she liked it at all.

“I… no, I did not expect a human would know any Elvhen.” At least it sounded like Solas wasn’t getting any closer.

“There were a fair number of Dalish elves in the Ostwick circle. The young ones were always ‘da’len’ to the older ones. Doesn’t take a cypher expert to put that together.”

“True, still, it is unexpected that you would have paid enough attention to understand that.”

“Oh, so it’s okay to call me ‘child’ as long as I don’t understand that’s what you’re calling me?” She didn’t know why she was picking this fight with him now, he’d been calling her ‘da’len’ practically since he’d met her, and while he wasn’t the most  _ annoying _ one who’d called her a child (those would be the mages younger than her who’d passed their Harrowings even though she hadn’t - wasn’t  _ her _ fault she never managed to find the stupid demon the First Enchanter was supposed to have placed in her dreams), she was frankly tired of it. And she’d come out here in the first place to be  _ alone _ , not get called ‘child’ by someone who wasn’t even looking for  _ her _ .

“That is a valid criticism, da…” she glanced over her shoulder to glare at the man. “...Herald. I shall keep it in mind.”

Ayala didn't like 'Herald' much better than she liked 'child,' but as she had no idea how to even try to begin disproving that thesis, she decided to let it go. But it looked like Solas wasn't going anywhere (unsurprising as he hadn't prodded her about the stupid Anchor yet) and she'd have to keep talking to him. She needed something to do with her hands so she conjured another ice ball to twirl around her fingers. “Why do you even call people that, anyway?”

“Must I really begin to list the ways in which Sera is childish?”

“Oh, good, so I’m on Sera’s level, am I?”

Ayala thought she might have seen a corner of Solas’ mouth twitch. “No, Herald. And I must apologize for implying such.”

“Good,” the ice ball was starting to melt, so she dropped it and started playing with a new one. “Also, it’s not like you’re  _ that _ much older than us.”

Solas looked away for a second before his pale hazel eyes met her pewter ones. Ayala was a bit afraid he would turn the moment into a staring contest she’d be forfeiting before it really began, but fortunately, he began talking a few seconds after their eyes met, “Tell me, Herald, just how old do you think I am?”

She pouted at that, “Oh, no. You’re not baiting me into answering  _ that _ trick question.” She glanced away but kept Solas in her peripheral vision.

He put a hand to his chin, “And how exactly is that a trick question?”

“ _ Because _ whenever anyone asks how old another person thinks they are, there are always three answers: the answer they want, the answer they expect the person will give, and the answer that’s actually true. Which means even if you get one of the answers right, you’ll get two wrong.”

He smiled at that. He’d smiled at her before, but something seemed different about this one. “Very well, Herald. If you will do me the courtesy of answering, I will tell you which of the answers you are closest to.”

Ayala considered the offer. Before this exchange, she hadn’t cared one wit just how old the man was, but now he’d gone and made a riddle out of it, and Ayala  _ hated _ riddles she didn’t know the answer to. Solas may be an elf, but it’s not like they were  _ actually _ immortal, so maybe if she phrased her answer right she’d be able to get enough information to figure it out. She tapped a finger on the edge of the shield. “I’d say you’re somewhere between forty-five and fifty-five?”

“I should penalize you for an answer like that.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, not only was your ‘answer’ a question, you quoted a range rather than a number and stated ‘you’d say’ rather than ‘you think’ meaning that, strictly speaking, ignoring the grammatical issue, you did not answer the question asked. However, as you have managed to surprise me for the second time in this conversation, I will tell you: that ‘answer’ of yours is closest to the one I expected you to give.”

“Interesting. So despite the fact that it surprised you, it was closest to what you expected?”

His mouth twitched again and he shook his head, “I have been generous enough with information for one exchange, but I will keep in mind not to underestimate your wit in the future.”

Ayala conjured a small icicle she could use to doodle spirals in the snow, “Right. You’re not here to  _ give _ information, you’re here to  _ get _ information.”

“And what makes you think that?”

She threw the icicle into the snow, then bit her lower lip and looked away, considering how she wanted to answer. She got the sense that shouting ‘The fact that I’m not a  _ complete _ idiot!’ would undercut her earlier argument about not being a child.

She heard Solas speak again from much closer, “Well, Herald? What makes you think -”

She turned to where his voice had been coming from. He was looking at her oddly again and his hand was hovering in the air between them. She pulled her robe up a bit and stuck her foot out to push the shield, and herself, away from him slightly. Her barrier should be enough to keep him from actually touching her but she still didn’t really like people even attempting to do it. She tapped her boot on the edge of the shield to knock off most of the snow so it would be easier to wick away the rest of the moisture before she brought it back onto the shield. He watched the entire process through slightly narrowed eyes. 

“Herald, what exactly is the purpose of that shield you’re sitting on?”

“Oh, so I’m supposed to tell you things but you don’t have to tell me things?”

“I told you about my age.”

“Yes, but I didn’t ask you about your age; you asked me about your age, so it doesn’t count. Also, I’ll point out you didn’t actually tell me what it was.”

“Very true, and very astute. It appears, Herald, that I must once again apologize for so grievously underestimating you.”

“...you should apologize for not looking at me, not underestimating me. Can’t underestimate someone you’ve never seen…”

Ayala was technically talking to the track in the snow the shield had made when she’d pushed away from Solas, but he was the one who responded to her reproval. “Another excellent point, Herald. And in the interest of time, I will take this opportunity to apologize for any offense I have caused in any of our interactions up to this point, and I hope to cause minimal offence in any future interactions, given that the most grievous of my misconceptions about you have been so thoroughly rebuked. Now, as I have just confirmed the veracity of a statement about myself that you made, are you amenable to verifying a statement I would make about you?”

She pursed her lips as she considered. It didn’t take her long, it sounded like something that could be fun. She nodded to Solas.

“You are sitting on that shield to keep your robes from getting wet. Am I correct?”

“Well, that was pretty easy, wasn’t it? Do you have any  _ idea _ how annoying wet robes are?”

“I can’t say I care for the garments dry, so I have no experience with them wet, however, I will take you at your word that they are not overly comfortable. And now that I have answered one of your questions, you owe me an answer to one of mine.” Ayala didn’t recall agreeing to that rule, but there was no harm in hearing the question, she could always object to answering if it annoyed her. Solas continued, “Why are you concerned about your robes getting wet?”

“Because it’s too warm for snow.”

“I disagree.”

Ayala scrunched her face in confusion.

“Allow me to be more specific: it is not too warm for snow, you use your magic to  _ make it _ too warm for snow. At least in your immediate vicinity.”

Ayala was still confused. Solas was a mage himself, why was he harping on something so simple? “Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because the power and precision control required to sustain a spell like that is quite extraordinary, and I cannot imagine anyone ever instructed you in the feat.”

“Well, no, no one did. They all seemed to think I should learn to do things like shoot fire or lightning or something, but I never understood the point of that when it was uncomfortable around me. So I just figured out a way to teach myself what I felt like learning. I mean, what were they going to do, fail me?”

He shook his head, “I pity your instructors. The greatest students are too often completely incomprehensible, not to mention entirely uncontrollable, to those who lack the perspective to understand their talents. And while most mages’ have a talent for ranged spellcasting, it is clear yours are quite different - and quite impressive at that.”

“Well, you’ve lost me again, because I was a terrible student. Being told to go sit in the corner by myself and not be a distraction was the GOOD way one of my lessons ended.”

“If your instructors were anything like the Enchanter, Herald, I am positive that sitting in the corner by yourself was a far better use of your time. However, if you are ever interested in learning techniques which would play to your exceptional, if exceedingly rare, talents, I would be only too happy to show you.”

He offered her his hand. Ayala hesitated. She was curious about what Solas was offering. It was clear he knew things that no one in any Circle did, but she knew full well that there was only one reason Solas had bothered with her in the first place. And he still hadn’t admitted it was what had brought him out here. “...is one of those talents having the Anchor?”

He looked away for an instant. “No, it is not. However, I understand why you would be wary it was.”

“...so, what kind of techniques, exactly?”

He grinned at her, “That, Herald, is something I will only tell you if you agree.”

She clicked her tongue. She couldn’t help but feel he was teasing her, but at least it seemed like he was teasing  _ her _ and not the ‘child’ he’d come looking for. “Alright, but I’m warning you right now, Solas: another thing all my instructors agreed on was that I’m an absolute nightmare when I find the lessons boring.”

He shook his head and grinned wider, “Then I shall just have to ensure you are entertained.”

She looked at his hand. She hesitated a few more seconds - just because what he’d just said was more than enough to intrigue her into agreeing didn’t mean he had to  _ know _ that. She reached back to him. His eyes widened when her barrier stopped their hands from actually touching. “Oh, sorry. I forgot that was still up,” she explained. She dropped the barrier around her hand and took his, flinching slightly at the contact even though she expected it. He was looking at her with his head slightly askew. “I - it’s not  _ you _ if that’s what you’re thinking. I just don’t like actually touching people, so that’s why I keep the barrier up, and…” She looked away and continued mumbling as she melted the block of ice she had stuck her staff in so she could use it to carry the shield she’d borrowed back to Haven.

He laughed quietly, “While I appreciate the reassurance, my chagrin was caused entirely by the fact that I had intended to instruct you first on barriers, however it is abundantly clear that you would have been  _ exceedingly _ bored in those lessons. It seems I shall have to think of a new way to entertain you.”

“Like what?”

He smiled, then turned and began walking back to Haven.

“Hey! Come back here! Like what?” She dropped the shield, Cullen would yell at her about it later, but she didn’t care. She attached the staff to her back and pulled up her robes so they wouldn’t drag in the snow and jogged to catch up with Solas. She repeated her question when they were level, “Like what, Solas?”

“That, Herald, is something you will just have to wait to find out.”


End file.
